Air pollution control device

ABSTRACT

Air polluting smoke particles are substantially removed from the upflow of smoke through a vertical series of housing sections into which water under pressure is injected closely below impeller blade assemblies. The blade assemblies are driven by a fluid motor through which the pressurized water is conducted to produce turbulence and mixing of the smoke with the water. The heavier water and smoke particles are flung radially outwardly to form a slurry which is baffled and collected from downwardly converging walls of the housing sections.

United States Patent Deane [15] 3,693,326 1 Sept. 26, 1972 [54] AIR POLLUTION CONTROL DEVICE [72] Inventor: -Clifford T. Deane, South Charleston, W. Va.

[73] Assignee: Vortex Air Corp.

[22] Filed: Feb. 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 115,437

1,883,456 10/1932 Ashley ..261/88 2,672,328 3/1954 Mart et a1 ..261/25 3,141,909 7/1964 Mayo, Jr ..261/25 [52] us. Cl. ..55/230, 261/25, 261/87, ABSTRACT I 261/88 Air polluting smoke particles are substantially [51] I111. CI. ..B0ld 47/08 removed from the upflow of Smoke through a vertical [58] Field of Search ..55/230; 261/25, 87, 88 Series of housing Sections into which water under pres sure is injected closely below impeller blade assem- [56] References cued blies. The blade assemblies are, driven by a fluid motor UNITED STATES PATENTS. through which the pressurized water is conducted to produce turbulence and mixing of the smoke with the 3,369,800 2/1968 Takamatsu at "261/88 water. The heavier water and smoke particles are 3,186,700 6/1965 Daman ..261/87 flung radially outwardly to form a slurry which is 2,539,344 l/l95l Carraway ..261/118 fl and Collected f downwardly converging walls 1,844,851 2/1932 Harmon ..55/230 of the housing Sections 621,166 3/1899 Smith ..261/88 3,168,596 2/1965 Jamison.- ..55/230 9 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures 40 I t 2 m. g

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BY WW 13m AIR POLLUTION CONTROL DEVICE This invention relates to the removal of solid contaminants from gaseous exhausts into the atmosphere and more particularly to the separation of solid particles from the exhaust emerging from industrial installations.

The smoke emerging from industrial smokestacks has been a source of air pollution to which much effort has been directed in seeking some method of alleviating the problem. Various proposals have been made and employed for removing the polluting solid particles from the smoke and in most cases, the apparatus employed involves filters of some sort. Operation of such apparatus requires monitoring and frequent replacement of the filters in order to maintain operating efficiency.

It is therefore an important object of this invention to provide apparatus for removing solids from smoke by a separation method that avoids the use of filters.

In accordance with the present invention, the smoke ordinarily received at the lower end of a smokestack from a plenum chamber, is conducted upwardly through a vertical series of treating zones within which the smoke is mixed with a liquid under pressure such as water. Mixing is accomplished by a plurality of vertically spaced impellers into which the smoke and liquid are drawn. The heavier solid and liquid particles of the resultant mixture are baffled and collected as a slurry along downwardly converting walls and conducted away therefrom so that a substantially non-polluting gas remains before being discharged to the atmosphere. The liquid is introduced into the treating zones through orifice openings in a rotating, hollow shaft on which the impeller blade assemblies are mounted. The liquid which is under pressure, also acts as the motivating fluid for a fluid motor through which rotation is imparted to the shaft and the impeller blade assemblies.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a side sectional view through a smokestack installation and smoke cleaning apparatus in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially through a plane indicated by section line 22 in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially through a plane indicated by section line 3-3 in FIG. 1.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, FIG. 1 illustrates smoke cleaning apparatus generally denoted by reference numeral in accordance with the present invention. Industrial exhaust gas and vapors are received within a plenum chamber generally referred to by reference numeral 12. The smoke cleaning apparatus is mounted above the plenum chamber 12 to which thesmoke is fed through a duct 14. The plenum chamber has an upper outlet duct 16 projecting into the apparatus 10.

The smoke cleaning apparatus 10 includes a housing 18 enclosing a plurality of vertically spaced treating zones or stages. In the illustrated embodiment, four stages 22, 24, 26 and 28 are employed. It will of course be appreciated that any number of such stages and associated components may be utilized depending upon the operating requirements. Each of the stages 24, 26 and 28 includes a top conical wall 27 that is imperforate as shown, an annular housing section 29 and a baffle formation 30. An inlet opening 32 is formed in each top wall 27 through which the upflowing smoke is conducted in series through each of the stages. The lower end of the lowermost stage 28 is in communication with the gas outlet 16 of the plenum chamber 12. Accordingly, the smoke flows upwardly through the vertical stages from the plenum chamber and emerges from the upper stage 22 into the annular passage 34 substantially less noxious and odorous from which it is injected into the atmosphere through outlet duct 36.

A hollow or tubular shaft 38 extends vertically and centrally through the housing rotationally supported at its upper end by a thrust bearing assembly 40 mounted on top of the housing 18. The vertical position of the hollow shaft is adjusted by means of an adjusting nut 42 threadably mounted on the upper end of the shaft. The lower end of the shaft is rotatably supported by the thrust bearing assembly 44 on the bottom of the plenum chamber. Fixedly mounted for rotation with the hollow shaft 38, are a plurality of impeller blade assemblies 46 axially located on the shaft within each stage. Each impeller blade assembly includes a lower inlet shroud 48 centrally opening into a lower circular plate 50 on which a plurality of helical impeller blades 52 are mounted as more clearly seen in FIGS. 2 and 3. The blades are also connected to a top plate 54 having a central hub'portion 56 fixed to the shaft 38. The radially outer rim 58 of the impeller assembly is open for discharge of fluid in response to rotation of the impeller assembly. Also, mounted on the shaft within an intermediate stage 26, is a radial, fluid motor 60 as shown in FIG. 1. Suitable support for the motor is provided by the spider frame assembly 62.

A liquid 64 under pressure such as water is con ducted upwardly through the hollow shaft 38 and forms the motivating fluid for the fluid motor 60. Accordingly, in response to the flow of water under pressure through the fluid motor interconnecting upper and lower sections of the hollow shaft 38, rotation will be imparted to the shaft 38 and the impeller blade assemblies mounted thereon. The water is discharged from the shaft into the housing through vertically spaced series of orifice openings 66 located closely below the radially inner inlets 48 of the impeller blade assemblies. Water is supplied to the lower end of the rotating hollow shaft 38 through a rotary seal assembly 68 by means of a water supply conduit 70 connected to a suitable source of water under pressure.

It will be apparent that as the water emerges from the orifice openings 66, the fluid motor 60 is rendered operative to impart rotation to the impeller blade assemblies. A vacuum pressure is thereby created at the radially inner portions 48 of the impeller assemblies so as to inwardly draw the water discharged from the orifices 66 together with the smoke. The water is accordingly mixed with the upflowing smoke or gas from the plenum chamber 12. The rotating impeller blade assemblies therefore change the laminar flow of the gas into turbulent flow for intimate mixing with the water. The heavier portions of the mixed gas and water, namely the solids entrained in the gas andthe water, are flung radially outwardly by the centrifugal action of the impeller blades. Thus, the gas entering the lower inlet end of the apparatus undergoes successive treatment in the stages for removal of solidparticles by mixing with the water to form a slurry that flows downwardly on the baffles 30 onto the walls 29. Thus, the gas with reduced solid particle content continues upwardly into the inlet 32 of the next stage until the gas, substantially free of solid particles, emerges from the upper stage 22 for discharge to atmosphere from passage 34 through duct 36. A slurry 72 consisting of the water and solid particles collects in the well 74 at the lower end of the housing. The slurry collects along the downwardly slopingwalls 27 in passages 76 and into outlet passage 34 which delivers the slurry into the well 74 from which it is conducted by conduit 78 to a suitable location for disposal, treatment or use in some other process.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled'in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. In combination with a plenum chamber from which a gas having particulate solids entrained therein is withdrawn into an updraft flow, means for removing the particulate solids from the gas, comprising plural housing means enclosing a plurality of treating zones, converging wall means fixedly mounted within the housing for directing an axial inflow and outflow of the gas relative to said treating zones, said wallmeans including a plurality of vertically spaced conical wall sections between which a plurality of said treating zones are formed, impeller means rotatably mounted within the treating zones for inducing flow of the gas radially outward to maintain the gas in a state of turbulence, means for injecting a liquid into the axial inflow of the gas entering the impeller means for mixing with the particulate solids to form a slurry, and means mounted by the housing within said treating zones below the impeller means for baffling downflow of said slurry emerging from the impeller means with said radially outward flow of the gas, each of said conical wall sections and the baffling means of an adjacent one of the treating zones forming an outward passage conducting the slurry radially outward.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said liquid injecting means includes a tubular shaft extending through the treating zone, a supply conduit connected to the shaft and orifice meansin the shaft for discharging an inflow of the liquid into the treating zone.

3. The combination of claim 1 wherein the housing encloses an annular outletconduit influid communication with the outflow passage.

4. The combination of claim 3 wherein said liquid injecting means includes a tubular shaft extending through the treating zones, a supply conduit connected to the shaft and orifice means in. the shaft for dischar ing the liquid in parallel into the impeller means m eac of the treating zones.

,5. The combination of claim 4 including fluid motor means mounted on the tubular shaft for imparting rotation to the impeller means in response to flow of the liquid into the treating zones.

6. In combination with a plenum chamber from which a mixture of gas and particulate solids are withdrawn into an updraft flow, means for substantially separating the particulate solids from the mixture comprising a housing having an outletportion and an inlet portion opening into the plenum chamber, impeller -means rotatably mounted within the housing for maintaining the upflowing mixture in a state of turbulence, means for injecting liquid under pressure into the upflowing mixture, and means for withdrawing a slurry of said particulate solids and the liquid from the housing, the impeller means including a plurality of blade assemblies from which the slurry is centrifugally discharged, said housing enclosing vertically spaced stages respectively including each of said blade assemblies, each stage having an upper wall formed with an opening communicating with the blade assemblies of a following one of the stages, an annular housing section connected to the upper wall and a lower baffle formation, said slurry withdrawing means including a vertical annular outlet conduit and a plurality of passages between the upper walls and the baffle formations of adjacent stages in fluid communication with said outlet conduit.

7. The combination of claim 6 wherein said means for injecting liquid includes a tubular shaft extending vertically through the housing on which the impeller means is mounted, a supply conduit connected to the shaft, and orifice means in the shaft for discharging the liquid adjacent to the impeller means.

8. The combination of claim 7 including fluid motor means mounted on the tubular shaft and driven by the inflow of liquid for imparting rotation to the impeller means.

9. The combination of claim 2 including fluid motor means mounted on the tubular shaft and driven by the inflow of liquid for imparting rotation to the impeller means. 

1. In combination with a plenum chamber from which a gas having particulate solids entrained therein is withdrawn into an updraft flow, means for removing the particulate solids from the gas, comprising plural housing means enclosing a plurality of treating zones, converging wall means fixedly mounted within the housing for directing an axial inflow and outflow of the gas relative to said treating zones, said wall means including a plurality of vertically spaced conical wall sections between which a plurality of said treating zones are formed, impeller means rotatably mounted within the treating zones for inducing flow of the gas radially outward to maintain the gas in a state of turbulence, means for injecting a liquid into the axial inflow of the gas entering the impeller means for mixing with the particulate solids to form a slurry, and means mounted by the housing within said treating zones below the impeller means for baffling downflow of said slurry emerging from the impeller means with said radially outward flow of the gas, each of said conical wall sections and the baffling means of an adjacent one of the treating zones forming an outward passage conducting the slurry radially outward.
 2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said liquid injecting means includes a tubular shaft extending through the treating zone, a supply conduit connected to the shaft and orifice means in the shaft for discharging an inflow of the liquid into the treating zone.
 3. The combination of claim 1 wherein the housing encloses an annular outlet conduit in fluid communication with the outflow passage.
 4. The combination of claim 3 wherein said liquid injecting means includes a tubular shaft extending through the treating zones, a supply conduit connected to the shaft and orifice means in the shaft for discharging the liquid in parallel into the impeller means in each of the treating zones.
 5. The combination of claim 4 including fluid motor means mounted on the tubular shaft for imparting rotation to the impeller means in response to flow of the liquid into the treating zones.
 6. In combination with a plenum chamber from which a mixture of gas and particulate solids are withdrawn into an updraft flow, means for substantially separating the particulate solids from the mixture comprising a housing having an outlet portion and an inlet portion opening into the plenum chamber, impeller means rotatably mounted within the housing for maintaining the upflowing mixture in a state of turbulence, means for injecting liquid under pressure into the upfloWing mixture, and means for withdrawing a slurry of said particulate solids and the liquid from the housing, the impeller means including a plurality of blade assemblies from which the slurry is centrifugally discharged, said housing enclosing vertically spaced stages respectively including each of said blade assemblies, each stage having an upper wall formed with an opening communicating with the blade assemblies of a following one of the stages, an annular housing section connected to the upper wall and a lower baffle formation, said slurry withdrawing means including a vertical annular outlet conduit and a plurality of passages between the upper walls and the baffle formations of adjacent stages in fluid communication with said outlet conduit.
 7. The combination of claim 6 wherein said means for injecting liquid includes a tubular shaft extending vertically through the housing on which the impeller means is mounted, a supply conduit connected to the shaft, and orifice means in the shaft for discharging the liquid adjacent to the impeller means.
 8. The combination of claim 7 including fluid motor means mounted on the tubular shaft and driven by the inflow of liquid for imparting rotation to the impeller means.
 9. The combination of claim 2 including fluid motor means mounted on the tubular shaft and driven by the inflow of liquid for imparting rotation to the impeller means. 